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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25993201">letters from the grave</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/thesnickettaxi/pseuds/thesnickettaxi'>thesnickettaxi</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>A Series of Unfortunate Events - Lemony Snicket, All the Wrong Questions - Lemony Snicket</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Set post the opera night while lemony is on the lam, also after his death has been reported</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 02:40:17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,364</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25993201</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/thesnickettaxi/pseuds/thesnickettaxi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>lemony has always loved letters, and now they are his only way of communicating with the people he misses. aka, a series of letters written by lemony while on the lam.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>15</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. always your brother</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> <em>[the following two letters were found in the belongings of jacques snicket after his death. it is believed that the second letter was not passed onto ‘k’, as requested by the writer, “l.s”, believed to be lemony snicket.]<em></em></em></p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p><p>j, </p><p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p><p>i hope this letter reaches you in good health and that our organisation remains strong in it’s pursuits to put out the many literal and figurative fires of the world.</p><p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p><p>please pass along the attached letter to k. i'm aware that you told me not to contact her (which i haven't, may i add) but after the daily punctilio's most recent article - presumably it will be the last - regarding me, it is no longer fair to keep her in the dark about my current condition. </p><p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p><p>best regards, </p><p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p><p>l.s</p><p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>[the following letter was found attached to the first.]<em></em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em></em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em></em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>to my dearest sister,</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em></em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>as you can see from the handwriting above, which is clearly not jacques', and i would be most insulted if you thought it was, the daily punctilio was incorrect in its reporting of my death. i apologise for jacques' refusal to keep you informed of my wellbeing, and for not contacting you myself, but he thought that i would be safer if fewer people knew my location. however, i refuse to allow you to think i have died. </p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em></em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>this may be the only chance i have to communicate with you so there is much to say, and i have never been the most concise. first, i owe you an apology for the events at the opera. though we both knew that we would face consequences, neither of us could predict how the situation would pan out. to be clear, i do not regret my actions, i simply wish that you hadn't been involved yourself. </p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em></em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>second, please take care of beatrice. i'm all too aware that she doesn't need taking care of, but she does need someone to prevent her from getting herself into too much trouble. tell her to not be alone, even if she must be with someone who isn't me. being alone is dangerous for beatrice, it could see her fall victim to the paradigm set by a count who we are all familiar with - you more than i.</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em></em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>try not to fight with jacques too much. don't be angry at him for hiding the truth from you, that's not entirely his fault. remember what our mother said, and never forget it. don’t let jacques forget either. keep each other safe.</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em></em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>always your brother,</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em></em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>l.s</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em></em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. apprentice in arms</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em> [this letter was discovered in a waste bin, still in a sealed envelope. the envelope was addressed to mr bertrand baudelaire at the baudelaire mansion. it is believed to have been intercepted before reaching its intended recipient.]<em></em></em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>bertrand baudelaire,</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>i regret to hear that a chaperone we once both had has reached a tragic but suspicious end in a road accident. i fear that this was no accident and that she was forcibly removed from our organisation. you are better placed than i to discover the truth, so i implore you to investigate. even in the noblest of organisations, there are mysteries in the shadows that hold dark secrets. if we are truly as noble as we make out to be then we must refuse to accept these so called "accidents", and instead expose them for what they are.</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>please accept my condolences for the loss of the individual in question, i know she was important to you. let it be known that you were very important to her as well. if she was to have a son, she would have wanted him to be you. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>with regards from an old friend,</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>your apprentice in arms.</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>ps. what did the s stand for?</em>
  </em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. affectionate congratulations</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em> [the following letter was published in an issue of the stain’d lighthouse by its editor, moxie mallahan.] <em></em></em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>to miss moxie mallahan, of the stain'd lighthouse newspaper,</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>i recently came across a copy of your newspaper and read an article you had written. it reminded me of the writing of an associate i had many years ago, whose talents lay not only with journalism but also with taking part in fragmentary plots and in putting up with twelve year old boys who never told her all the things he should have, and who allowed her to be put into danger many times. i wonder if this associate of mine still has a scar on her arm from one of the dangers she faced. it has been many years since i last saw her, and it was not on good terms that we parted. i didn't value her company and her friendship as much as i should have, my attentions focused too much on another, far less reliable or trustworthy associate. i hope that she knows i regret this most ardently.</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>your writing reminded me so much of this girl that i had to write you and congratulate you on your journalism success. upon a slight investigation into your publication, i discovered that you relaunched the stain'd lighthouse in honour and memory of your parents. i of course, did not know your parents, but i am sure they would have been very proud. as am i.</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>with affectionate congratulations (though with the formality of someone you have never met),</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>an admirer of your writing.</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    
  </em>
</p><p>
      <em> [after this letter was a printed message from miss mallahan encouraging the writer to get back in touch with this childhood friend, telling him that she was certain she would have forgiven him. it is unclear if this advice was followed.] <em></em></em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. ring ring</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em> [this letter was found in an apartment previously belonging to k. snicket and j. snicket. upon both of their deaths, it found its way back into volunteer hands. reliable sources claim that it is encrypted with sebald code, and that the casual inquiring about a vacation is concealing a concerned and slightly panicked message]<em></em></em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>j,</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>i tried to ring you a little while ago but didn't receive an answer. where were you? perhaps you are on holiday. i hope you are having a pleasant time. i now do remember once that you mentioned a liking for the mountains. anyway, i decided to write to see how you are. what date are you coming back? i should like to see you for a dinner to talk, we can catch up, maybe take a walk and go to our favourite restaurant. i must tell you all about a kit of mathematic instruments i have picked up. i'll try and ring again later. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>all my best,</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>l.s</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
      <em>[after careful research and plotting of timelines, we believe that this letter was delivered to jacques snicket’s apartment the day after he departed to the mountains, and perhaps a week or two before his death. this is unconfirmed as of yet.]<em></em></em>
    
  
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. kenneth grahame</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>[this letter was extracted from the bellerophon brothers, pip and squeak, in an attempt by the authorities to track down lemony snicket, who they believed was the writer of this letter. let it be known that this attempt was unsuccessful, and there was no proof that snicket wrote this letter.]<em></em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>to pip &amp; squeak bellerophon, </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>a library is like an island in a vast sea of ignorance, and now that you are librarians, you are like a pair of island facilitators. i hope you will be able to facilitate my search for information. </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>i'm looking for a man - an associate of mine - called jacques snicket who i have held a steady correspondence with for many years. for three months now i have heard nothing from him, and i am concerned for his safety. i have tried to track him down myself with little success, and have spent the last month stuck up in the mountains, his last known location, trying to uncover where he went when he left here. for reasons better left unwritten, i am stuck in the mountains for the foreseeable future, with no access to newspapers or any other information that could help me find him. </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>find attached to this letter a photograph bearing the face of my missing associate. i have very few photos of him, so though it isn’t of enormous sentimental value, i would appreciate you taking good care of it. if you should be able to find any trace of my associate, then please write back and inform me of any information you have found. i send this letter with a reliable and well trained snow goose who will be able to find me with any letter you send. trust no one else with the tracking of my associate, this matter must remain discreet. there are few people left that i trust more than you two. </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>in return, allow me to recommend a book about an enigmatic and passionate classics teacher who encourages his students to take part in dangerous practices that subsequently results in two murders. this group of students inevitably fractures and disintegrates, unearthing dark secrets and exposing each of their true natures. upon reading, you might think that bright young people couldn’t be so morally corrupted and intertwined in dark events, but all stories are true in a way. remember that. </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>yours, </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>kenneth grahame</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em> [while it cannot be confirmed, it is believed that the first letter addressed to the bellerophon brothers was delivered to them the day after jacques snicket was murdered. the next letter was presumably written in reply to a letter from the bellerophon’s explaining that jacques snicket was dead. date unknown.] <em></em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>to pip and squeak bellerophon, </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>i apologise for sending you in search of a dead man. thank you for informing me of his fate, though i must admit i had my fears already. he has always been the most reliable person in my life, everything he does is regulated and precise like clockwork. for him to stop or delay our correspondence by any length of time told me that a grave incident had occurred. </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>in my grief, all i can think of as your tip is the biography of a deaf musician who suffered a hard, pressurised childhood with abuse from his father. he was held to the impossibly high standard of a child genius, and against all odds lived up to a rose above all that pressure. it isn't an exciting read i'm afraid, but an important one to me. 
</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>thank you for returning the photograph of jacques to me. you were correct in your assumption that he was my brother. he was a good one too. older than me, forced to be a father figure when he was far too young to even know that was what he was doing. he protected me all my life, sometimes without me even knowing it. he taught me to tie my laces and my tie, taught me how to make a disguise out of any garment of clothing. and when we were young, he used to let me into his bed when i’d had a nightmare, and hold me until i fell asleep again.

 in your research you will have found information about him that may make him appear immoral or even cruel, but i can’t let you believe that. my brother was a good man who sometimes did things that he didn’t agree with, for the sake of an organisation that he dedicated his life to. he was a volunteer and an agent, a recruiter and a chaperone, a taxi driver and a brother. most of all he was a good man.</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>yours as ever, </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>kenneth grahame</em>
  </em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. the biggest regret</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>to the brothers bellerophon, </p>
<p>i return to asking for your help once again! i have attached a letter for our past mutual acquaintance, miss ellington feint. she is too elusive and difficult to track down for me, but i understand she contacts you every now and then. if you could deliver the attached letter, i would be eternally indebted to you. </p>
<p>seek out a satirical war novel published in 1961. its title describes a paradoxical situation from which an individual cannot escape due to contradictory circumstances. i myself feel like this often. i hope you do not, but you may enjoy the book all the same. </p>
<p>yours, </p>
<p>kenneth grahame </p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em> [the above letter was discovered by mr stew mitchum on the rare occasion that he borrowed a book from the library. he intended to use the book to kill a spider, but also discovered the letter folded within the pages.] </em>
</p>
<p>dear miss feint, </p>
<p>i’m aware you won’t want to hear from me, but i implore you not to rip up this letter as you have i’m sure the many that i sent you years ago. if you don’t recognise my writing, then you should know that it is lemony snicket. please hear me out, it’s about the one matter that you and i still see eye to eye on. it’s about kit. </p>
<p>i haven’t seen my sister for a long time, and i know you might think that the two of us are better off apart, but things are different now, ellington. before i had a brother and a sister, and kit had a twin. now we have only each other. you know what it is to be alone in the world, so please help me. </p>
<p>if anyone knows where to find my sister, it’s you. she never told me exactly what occurred between you, but i know that she cares deeply for you, and wouldn’t stay out of touch. please deliver a message to her if you can. tell her that the daily punctilio fills with more lies day by day, and that she should meet me at our childhood home as soon as she can. </p>
<p>not a day goes by where i don’t think about you and what happened on that train. not a day goes by where i don’t hate myself for doing it, and for hundreds of other things. i have so many regrets, ellington, but you will always be my biggest. </p>
<p>lemony snicket</p>
<p>
  <em> [the above letter was discovered in a box of letters in the possession of ellington feint. as well as this one, there were thirty four other letters from lemony snicket, dated from when he was fourteen to twenty five. all the letters had been opened.]<em></em></em>
</p>
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